The Sacrifice
by Innogen
Summary: Alva and Paul make a mess of Evie's work, adding to an already stressed day. Humorous double meaning. Drabble for now; part of larger story later. Please read and review. Good, Bad, Indifferent.


The Sacrifice: A Miracles Fanfic Drabble by Innogen  
  
The Sacrifice  
  
A Miracles Fanfic Drabble  
  
by Innogen  
  
"What is the delay, Evie," Alva snapped as he pulled on his heavy winter  
coat. He had one arm fully in place but couldn't seem to balance his  
satchel and papers from the other long enough to finish. The result,  
rather comical, left him twirling in front of Evie's desk at least twice  
before Paul stepped forward and deftly took the clutter before it got  
away from him. "Well?" Alva demanded, as if he had been kept waiting for  
inordinate amounts of time.  
  
"Almost done," Evie held her breath as she used her antique sword letter  
opener to level off a dark red powder in a measuring spoon.  
  
"What is that?" Paul asked, leaning in so close that he was only inches  
away and eye level. Evie didn't answer. "Evie?" Paul asked again,  
raising his eyebrows.  
  
"So, why are we all down by the measuring spoon?" Alva's face was now  
also eye-level with the measuring spoon. Paul jerked backwards, keeping  
the mish-mosh of paperwork in order, but knocking the red powder all  
over Evie's desk, Evie's creamy blouse--and his starched white shirt.  
Evie looked less than pleased. Paul moved to pick up some of the red-  
stained items; Evie swatted his hand.  
  
"Get Back!" Evie yelled. "Both of you! I have an eighth ounce of  
Dragon's Blood, and I'm not afraid to use it!" She held a small pouch  
high in the air.  
  
"No!" Alva panicked. "Evie, please, not that! Dragon's Blood is sacred!  
It's an invaluable part of the potion we need for the house cleansing  
tonight. These are paying clients, and we worked--"  
  
"Yes," Evie interrupted. "I worked on this project all day, with no  
advance notice. Even with Paul's help, collecting everything I needed  
was very difficult."  
  
Both Alva and Paul watched the small pouch Evie emphatically waved  
around. She looked as if she might smite them down with it at any moment  
in her wrath.  
  
"This was just about the last part of it," she sighed, beginning to  
sound tired. "Just about, you know? You just could not let me do my  
work, could you!" Evie sounded tired, but still angry.  
  
Evie stopped talking. She sat down, not bothering to brush the dust off  
her chair; she waited. Then, when no one else spoke, she raised an  
eyebrow.  
  
"Then, you would not sacrifice an entire day's work, Evie, would you?"  
Alva asked rather piteously, not at all like he behaved earlier.  
  
"Don't count on it," she singsonged. "Paul, mind stuffing him in a  
closet or something?"  
  
"Keel, let's make sure we have everything we need for this house-  
warming? Cleansing? Whatever this strange thing is." Paul paused and  
glanced at the top of Alva's head. "Where is your hat?"  
  
"In my office, by your coat. I put the sage sticks in your coat  
pockets...."  
  
+ + +  
  
About fifteen minutes later, Evie herded Alva and Paul out of SQ's  
offices. "Here it is," Evie place a small bottle of wine colored liquid  
in Alva's hands. "Special mix for the aromatherapy oil lamps? All done.  
Now go, before you are late."  
  
"You followed the instructions precisely? In the correct order?" Alva  
asked as he peered at the glass bottle.  
  
Evie sighed.  
  
"Did you?"  
  
"Yes, I did, but I wonder if you have read them lately?" Evie handed the  
folded paper to Alva, and he immediately opened it and started reading  
through the list.  
  
Paul pointed to Evie's left index finger. "Did you get a paper cut or  
something just now? That bandaid's new."  
  
Evie laughed, very shortly. "Paper cut, plus one hangnail, yeah. I'm  
requesting hazard pay for this job."  
  
"Oh my God !" Alva closed up the paper very quickly. "Evie, you took  
care of all the details?"  
  
"Yes, I did."  
  
"Oh my God, how could I let this happen?" Alva covered his eyes, and  
then leaned his head against the edge of the door muttering to himself.  
  
"What'd I miss?"  
  
Evie smiled and wagged her bandaged finger up and down toward Paul.  
  
"The recipe required a human sacrifice. Be sure to drive carefully."  
  
Fin 


End file.
